The Funeral
by girlinterrupted22
Summary: In the wake of Lana's death, Chloe again reveals her true feelings for Clark.
1. Chapter 1

Clark ran with superspeed to the scene of the accident, coming to a stop just past Lex. He didn't even realize that Lex had seen him use his powers, just saw that Lana's car was sideways on the ground, and Lana…Oh, God, where was Lana?

Lex stared after Clark as Clark moved towards Lana's car. There was a group of cheerleaders near the car, watching, as Clark reached his destination, coming to a halt at the sight of the body.

Jonathan Kent's truck came screeching to the scene, and shortly after the doors flew open, Jonathan ran to his son.

Clark had eyes only for Lana. He crouched down beside her still body, and his hand grazed her face as tears froze in his eyes. There was blood, so much blood, everywhere he looked…and Lana wasn't breathing.

"L-lana…" Clark stuttered.

Jonathan tried to grab him, but Clark had to get away. He ran, faster than anyone could run, running away from everything. His only thought was of Jor-El, and how Jor-El would have to change things. Lana knew his secret now, Lana knew who he was. But it wasn't something she should have to pay for, not in this way, and if he could, Clark would take it all back just to have her breathe again.

He was with Jor-El in seconds, his superspeed enabling him to get to the cave much quicker than an ordinary human. Clark was so much more than ordinary, and now Lana knew that, and they were getting married…but she was gone. She couldn't be gone, she just couldn't be gone…

"She can not be gone!" Clark screamed to the heavens, to Jor-El. "You can't take her away from me! How could you take her away from me!"

"Clark, she knows your secret now, she knows who you are, and a life has to be exchanged for that price." Jor-El's voice filled cave around Clark.

"You can't take her away from me, Jor-El, you have to let me fix it!"

"Clark, this is the price that you have to pay. You knew that a life would be exchanged for yours. You knew the consequences. You made your choice."

"I was going to marry her, and if I wouldn't have told her the truth about me, she'd still be alive! You have to let me fix it! You have to let me fix it!"

"Fate can not be altered. Lana's death was fate. You can not fix it. You can not alter the course of events. It's too late, Clark."

Tears streamed down Clark's face as he whispered, "This was not her destiny, and you know that, Jor-El, you know that."

"You controlled her destiny, Clark, and you made your choice. There is nothing else that can be done."

Clark turned and walked away, leaving Jor-El's voice echoing in the cave.


	2. Chapter 2

The number of mourners was overwhelming for Clark. Standing ankle deep in the snow at the foot of her gravesite, he was supported on both sides by Lois and Chloe. His gaze drifted from side to side, taking in the people, all of the people who thought that they knew Lana. No one knew her, the real Lana, at least not the way that Clark did.

"Clark?" Lois whispered, touching his arm, "You know…"

Clark shook her off, moving closer to the grave. He stared down into the hole where Lana rested forever and he said, "I put you there."

Chloe stood fast beside him. "Clark?"

He shook his head. "I put her there."

"Clark, it was an accident, there was nothing you could have done, there,"

"I'm tired of that!" he snapped. "I'm tired of it!" Lowering his voice, he continued, "I took her to the fortress, and I asked her to marry me, and I told her my secret. It was all me, Chloe. This is all my fault. There was a life to be exchanged for her knowing my secret, and I knew that, and I did it anyway, and…I was gonna marry her, Chloe…"

Clark fell to his knees, his words dissolving as his tears scattered into the snow.

Chloe fell beside him, putting her arms come around him. "Clark, you couldn't have known. But you know…You know that had to tell her the truth. You know that you never would have gone any farther without the truth, and…At the very least, Clark, she was happy."

The words cut Chloe to the quick. Lana had been her best friend in the entire world, but she loved Clark with more passion than she had ever or would love another man.

"She was…happy?" Clark repeated.

"She was," Chloe confirmed, finally letting the tears she had been holding back streak down her cheeks. "She knew the truth, Clark, and that was all she ever wanted from you."

"Why?"

He put his head in his hands as Chloe rocked back and forth on her heels. "I don't know, Clark. I don't think anyone, not even Jor-El, has the real answers. But I still...I miss her so much...I can't face it...That she's not here."

"Chloe, I can't go on without Lana. I feel like…I have no one now…and…I don't know how to be without her."

"Clark, I…"

"Chloe…I just…Give me a minute, okay?"

Chloe pulled her arms away from Clark, and took several steps back. She was almost in the tree line when she whispered, "You have me, Clark. You will always have me, and I will always love you."


End file.
